Bodog Beat

Big Brown continued his winning ways with a hard-fought victory in the Monmouth Stakes on Saturday, Sept. 13, a $500,000 Gr. 1 race for 3-year-olds and up. (AP Images)

In his first appearance on turf since breaking his maiden and his first race against older horses, Big Brown did not disappoint. Under Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown took to the front immediately with longshot Get Serious just behind, and the two pulled away from the pack by six lengths. When Get Serious took the clubhouse turn wide, Big Brown was able to increase his lead on the backstretch. At the turn, Get Serious was caught by the pack, and three other horses began to eat away at Big Brown's lead. Proudinsky made his move just off the turn with a bold charge to the outside of Big Brown, while Silver Tree challenged on the inside. Shakis broke late from the pack, and while he was able to get past Silver Tree with an immense effort, he would finish third. Neither he nor Proudinsky could overtake Big Brown, who responded to every challenge and won by a neck.

Desormeaux was full of praise for his mount. "[Big Brown] is multi-talented. He just loves to be a race horse. He doesn't like getting beat. He showed that true grit and determination down the lane."

This is Big Brown's second victory in as many outings since his disastrous Belmont Stakes performance his previous win was in the $1M Gr. 1 Haskell Invitational also at Monmouth and trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. has high hopes for his star colt. "To win [the Monmouth Stakes] was great. Now we can go to the next race full of confidence."

That next race? The Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at Santa Anita Park on October 25. Will Big Brown win the 2008 Breeders' Cup? Get all your horse betting odds at the Bodog Racebook.